Hypocrites

Hypocrites (1915)

The story of St. Gabriel, who was killed by an ignorant mob for making a nude statue representing Purity, who is also represented by a ghostly naked girl that flits through the film.

Date of release
1915-01-20
TMDB
5.6 / 10 (29)
Runtime
52m
Genres
Drama
Director
Lois Weber

Casting

Interesting facts

Hypocrites, also known as The Hypocrites and The Naked Truth, is a 1915 silent drama film written and directed by Lois Weber (1879–1939). The film contains several full nude scenes, and is said to include the first appearance of full frontal nudity in a non-pornographic film by an American actress. The film is regarded as anticlerical, and the nudity, after causing trouble with censorship, was deemed justified by its religious context.

Production

Writer-director Lois Weber attributed to Adolphe Faugeron's painting La Vérité (The Truth) as the inspiration for the film. During shooting, production had to be moved three times, due to the lack of a permanent studio.

Edwards' scenes, in which she appeared nude, were shot on a closed set, with only Weber, who directed the scenes, Edwards and a cameraman.

Dal Clawson devised special photographic techniques for the film, which was shot by George W. Hill. Sometimes six exposures were involved. The use in the film of traveling double exposure sequences of the woman is considered impressive for 1915.

It is thought that Weber may have re-edited the film after early review were published, before its official opening on January 20, 1915, at the Longacre Theater in New York City.

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